Nail/toe injury

Post Reply
User avatar
aml1676

Post   » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:01 pm


I just took Roxy and Rosy out for floor time, and thought it was odd that Rosy didn't try to run from me when I went to grab her... turns out she's injured her middle toe on her right rear foot! It looks like the toenail has been partially pulled out. The toenail itself has dark blood in it, but what really concerns me is that her toe is swollen. She won't walk on it -- kind of limping around -- but otherwise doesn't act painful (is eating hay, burrowing in the pile I left on the floor). I have metacam on hand, and I have bactrim left over from Roxy's UTI just a couple of weeks ago... I can't get her to the vet until tomorrow at the earliest, so am wondering if I should go ahead and give her pain meds and a dose of bactrim? Should I try soaking the foot in diluted betadine or chlorhexidine, even though the toenail is still attached?

I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another.

User avatar
aml1676

Post   » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:24 pm


Nevermind! I searched again for more threads after I posted this, and talked to my local guinea pig "guru", and I'm going to dose her with bactrim tonight and call the vet in the morning. The toenail seems pretty firmly attached despite being injured, and the toe is only swollen, not hot. I'm sure the vet will probably take the toenail off, but I'm sure not comfortable doing that since it doesn't want to just pop off on its own. If it was just hanging there, no problem, but it seems very attached. GAH!

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:07 pm


I would soak the foot too. It won't hurt and may help (with a dilute antiseptic solution).

User avatar
aml1676

Post   » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:52 pm


Thanks, Lynx. I'll do that before bed...

Fweeprluvr

Post   » Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:04 am


You might want to confine her to a smaller portion of her cage so she doesn't have to move around alot to get to her food and water, thereby keeping her from walking on that toe much.

User avatar
aml1676

Post   » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:43 am


Just an update...

Rosy spent last Thursday at the vet clinic, and she's fine. Her toenail is still attached; the vet cut it way down past the quick to see if it is still viable, and apparently it is. It looks like she cut her toe on something, causing the swelling and the blood in the toenail. I'm doing epsom salt foot soaks and smearing a very thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment on the affected toe, and she's on bactrim. The toe is still swollen, but it no longer looks *angry*. She's on the mend, and runs around without any problems!

Now I just need to figure out what in the blue blazes she cut the toe with. The girls are bedded on fleece, so the whole cage is pretty soft. I suppose she could have scraped it on the fiddlesticks or something...

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:26 pm


A cut or maybe a tear?

What did the vet think about soaks? Did he recommend them?

User avatar
aml1676

Post   » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:33 pm


Well, I'm doing soaks with epsom salts -- I didn't talk to her about antiseptic soaks. I have to take bunnies in for checkups tomorrow, so I'll check with her.

I do have a question about dosing schedules for bactrim... they wrote it so that I'm to give her bactrim for 7 days, off 3 days, then give it for another 7. This would normally be fine, but I'm leaving for vacation next weekend and won't be around to do the second week. I have petsitters coming to care for all the fuzzies, but I really doubt any of them are going to be able to come twice a day to give her meds. Any suggestions? Different dosing schedule -- maybe a 10 day course? I'm going to talk to the vet about this tomorrow, but wondered what other vets prescribe as a rule.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:37 pm


The epsom salts will likely help. Or you could also use a dilute salt solution.

I have not seen that pattern of giving bactrim. I think it has to be given twice a day. Sorry I don't have any ideas for you.

Post Reply